The two biggest stories we hear when talking to prospective clients are:

1. My nutrition is “pretty good.”2. My workout is “pretty good.”

In the most kind, understanding and polite way possible, no…no they (nutrition and workout) aren’t but we onlyhave time to focus on one topic, so this month, it is your workout.

Most of the time we run into folks who are still breaking down body parts (Monday-chest, Tues-legs) or perform what I have come to label as the throwing darts workout. It is the kind of workout where you select a myriad of exercises that either do not compliment one another, arranged the exercises poorly or the workout simply do not make sense. Kind of like random hits on a dart board.

After 21 years as a personal trainer coaching clients all over the country and even a few internationally, I get it. When one walks into a fitness center or gym, the equipment options can be overwhelming and when we are overwhelmed, we naturally gravitate to what we know and are comfortable with. I think this is why everyone flocks to the bench press on Mondays or jumps on a treadmill for their 30 minutes of cardio. It is familiar and in their mind, safe.

What we want you to realize is that you can piece together a very effective workout and it might only include 4-6 exercises. Sometimes, less is more and not only could this workout be effective than a bunch of random exercises, you will get a better result and will become more efficient limiting your time in the gym.

The first thing we must do is to get you thinking about movement patterns vs. body parts. Each and every day we push, pull, stand up, sit down and rotate. These elements should always be a part of your strength training workout. The problem with body part workouts lies in if you miss a workout. For example, if you always hit chest day but consistently miss back day it is only a matter of time before anoveruse injury or poor posture results. Stick to movement patterns instead of body parts as you plan your routine.

Second, we will need you to suspend what you think you know about strength training or workout out in general. Smash workouts, the kind where you cannot walk for six days, are good for one thing. Encouraging you to quit. Of course you have to work hard to see results, but if you go after lower body fat or a more toned backside with reckless abandon, you risk both injury and dropping out. Why?

Because your tendons and ligaments cannot catch up a fast as your muscles when it comes to conditioning; this promotes tendinitis. And soreness that requires helping getting off the toilet does not motivate the vast majority of us to get back out and repeat the workout over and over. Results come through consistency. Not smash workouts.

Finally, start with a base program that will allow you to get foundational moves honed. If you can perform a body weight squat, push-up, front plank and split squat, you are ready for the next evolution of exercises. These movements form the base or foundation for a myriad of different progressions which will increase not only your conditioning, but your enjoyment of the routine. As your conditioning and confidence improve, you will be able to work at higher intensities and perform more advanced exercises. Base programs typically take four to six weeks, so be patient.

If you are stuck, the team at Integrated Wellness Concepts can help. We have the ability to create exercise programming that is specific to your abilities, skill set, condition and level of experience. All of which will ensure you are not throwing random darts in the gym.

You know, when I started in the fitness industry this kind of nutrition plan was blasphemy. Oh how times have changed. The personal trainers and fitness coaches at Integrated Wellness Concepts still believe “diets” are not the best idea (everyone who goes on a diet eventually has to come off said diet) but there are some benefits of going keto. First, let’s define what the Ketogenic diet actually does tohelp us lose weight.

The Keto diet is a very low carb diet similar to parts of the Atkins or other low-carb ways of eating. The diet drastically limits carbohydrates and replaces them with fats. This will cause your body to go into a state called Ketosis which makes your body very, very good at burning fat. This, in turn, can cause vast improvements in blood sugar and insulin levels, improve weight loss and believe it or not, may positively affect cholesterol and triglyceride numbers. But, going from your regular eating plan to Keto takes a transition period and some additional knowledge. Here are some tips you can use if you are planning to make the move to Keto.

1. Keep the net carbs to 20-30 per day:If you do this you will get your body transitioned to burning fat vs. glucose for fuel.This will take some practice and you becoming disciplined at reading food labels.

2. Ditch the junk:If you have sugary treats in the house, get them out. Like way out.You don’t need temptation as you make the transition.

3. Watch out for side effects:As you make the transition there may be several days where you feel worse instead of better (mentally foggy, low energy levels, poor athletic performance, sleep problems and nausea).If this happens boost your carb intake slightly and consider a product like Keto-Nootropic (see below).

4. Stay hydrated:Drinking plenty of water will aid in the transition to the keto diet. Really, this is a good rule of thumb Keto or no Keto.Divide your weight in half; that is the number of ounces you should be consuming each day (Ex: 150 pounds /2 = 75 ounces per day).

5. What to eat:The top of the list includes items such as grass fed and wild animal proteins, healthy fats (Absolutely no trans fats), non-starchy vegetables, avocados, water, coffee or tea.

6. Supplement Smart:Products like Designs For Health Keto-Nootropic is a great way to stay hydrated and boost energy as you make the transition to a low carb diet. Great tasting, this product helps support memory and mental clarity, enhances physical performance and helpscurb hunger. This product is available through Integrated Wellness Concepts HERE.

7. Exercise:You are probably doing Keto because you want to lose weight or improve your health and regular exercise is a key component to both. Time limited? Consider a High Intensity Interval Training program (HIIT) to maximize the time you have and boost results.

8. Think ahead:Like any nutrition plan, you need to think about meal planning/prep, finding recipes and how to stay on trackwith your Keto diet when traveling or forced to eat out at restaurants.Keto or not, this is a staple to being successful with any nutritional change, program or lifestyle.

If you plan to implement this diet, we encourage you to have a conversation with your physician or a registered dietitian. While there are certainly many benefits to the Keto diet, it is always a good idea to cover your bases to make sure it is the right plan for you.

Are you currently doing the Keto diet? We would love to hear how it is working for you! Leave a comment below and share your experience!

Let’s face it. There is a lot of bad information out there regarding what to eat, how to exercise and most importantly, how to build a plan, strategy or program that is just right for you. And when I say just right for you, I mean something that you will do over and over and over until you can see and feel the difference in your health.

So what kind of misinformation is out there? Here is an example… let’s talk about bananas. In recent years I have been blown over by the statements from people I encounter in my travels and speaking engagements that tell me they don’t eat bananas because of the sugar. They believe eating bananas will make them fat.

Yes, bananas are on the higher end of the glycemic index but we aren’t talking about a snack cake or candy bar. We are talking about a whole food that grew in the ground and provides a multitude of benefits such as:

And those are just a few of the benefits of adding a banana to your day.

You see, bananas do not make us fat. Eating more processed foods, lack of daily movement in our jobs and inconsistent, or non-existent, exercise sessions are the reason body fat levels are going up and waistbands are expanding.

Please do not place the blame on the shoulders of that bunch of bananas at the grocery store. It really isn’t their fault.

My good friend and colleague Steve Payne of More Than Exercise has a quote that I have used often times as a personal trainer and fitness coach over the last several years to help my clients get the big picture when it comes to nutrition.

Of course there is a lot more to it than this but we tend to overcomplicate what can and should be a very simple concept regarding nutrition.

Here is another example:

Do you get headaches? It is highly unlikely you have an Ibuprofen deficiency but I am betting you pop down two tablets in the middle of the day without even thinking, right? Ibuprofen deficiency - that is a joke! - but let’s look at some real reasons that you may have that headache:

Consistent use of any anti-inflammatory over time is not good for your health so how empowering is it to know that you could solve your headache riddle by managing stress, taking an Epsom salt bath once a week and/or a magnesium supplement, get a little more sleep and increase the amount of water you drink daily. Remember, you don’t have to do all of these things at once. Just start with increasinghydration and see if that solves the problem before looking at the next possible option.

Navigating the minefield of health can be a daunting proposition for you but it is not impossible for us because this is what we do. The fitness coaches and personal trainers at Integrated Wellness Concepts are masters at helping you simplify health, fitness and wellness through our online coaching program.

We know you still have to live life while you implement all of these new and amazing strategies to improve your health in 2018. Our job is to help keep it stress-free, provide you a safe, accountable environment to make your changes and coach you to victory in the New Year.

Most people fail to recognize the opportunity in front of them over the next four weeks, will eat their way through Christmas and New Year’s, gain 5-10 pounds and then swear that 2018 will be different as they make a veiled attempt to exercise and eat right the 1st week in January.

In other words, they will do the complete opposite of what we are about to share with you. You have a choice and we are going to provide for you the plan that will allow you to enjoy this holiday season looking and feeling great!

​1. Start moving:Regular physical activity (3-5 days per week) is an absolute must if you want to lose weight before the 2017 holiday run. We recommend activities that will give you the biggest bang for your buck such as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Spinning, Zumba and/or small group or 1-on- 1 training. Oh, and if you want max results we suggest 5 days of activity. Yes, you are busy but this is war against weight gain! You can also ask an IWC professional to help create an in-home tabata workout that requires little to no equipment for when you don’t have time to make it to the gym!

2. Shake it up:Do you skip breakfast or make bad choices for lunch? To jump start your weight loss, use meal replacement shakes to get the ball rolling. We recommend Designs for Health Plain Whey Cool Shakes. (They also have Chocolate or Vanilla flavors available) They taste great, mix well into smoothie recipes, are produced from hormone-free, grass-fed cows and are higher quality than the products you are purchasing at the super cheap super store. You can get your whey cool by clicking here.

For the 1st five days of your strike have a shake for breakfast, a mid-morning snack (Greek Yogurt and a piece of fruit), a shake for lunch, a mid-afternoon snack (almonds and a piece of fruit) and a healthy, properly portioned dinner). After the 1st 5 days, continue replacing breakfast with a Whey Cool shake and start planning healthy, properly portioned lunches. It will take some work on your end, but if you can master this you will lose weight and save money by not eating out every day.

Remember to use promo code: FIRST20 at checkout to get 20% off your initial order. Shipping is always FREE.

3. Get water logged:The formula is simple. Divide your weight in half and that is the number of ounces you need each day. For example, if you weigh150 pounds you need to drink 75 ounces of water each day. Yes you will be in the bathroom a lot in the beginning but your body will adjust and you will jump start weight loss.

4. Plan parties around physical activity:Social events will begin gearing up but that isn't an excuse. If you know you will be in a setting where extra calories will be consumed hit the gym a little longer and a bit harder to offset the damage. Parties and social events are a problem only if you let them become a problem.

5. Actively manage stress:Uncontrolled stress causes increased levels of cortisol production which promotes belly fat and slows your metabolism. You are alreadyexercising (a great stress eradicator) but other strategies such as meditation, air breaks (getting up and away from your work station) or massage therapy are awesome ways to manage stress.

6. Find a buddy:Corner a pal and get him/her to commit to gaining ZERO pounds over the holidays. The power of accountability has resulted in many weight loss success stories. Get a friend, family member or co-worker to join you in the preemptive strike!

Follow these six tips and you will be lean, mean and looking good on January 1, 2018 which will give you even more to be thankful for!

I believe it was sometime in late September when I realized I could purchase all of the Christmas lights I would need for some sweet holiday exterior illumination at the local Walmart. The shelves were already stocked with Christmas decorations!

These days it feels like retailers are getting a bigger jump on the holiday season; A concept that we at Integrated Wellness Concepts believe in whole-heartedly. I have been personal training and coaching clients for over 20 years and there is one constant that remains the same each year as the leaves change colors. The holidays throw our lives into chaos.

Shopping, parties, family gatherings and food…lots and lots of food makes it incredibly difficult to maintain healthy lifestyle habits. Many will give up completely but after four or five cocktails on New Year’s Eve, make the same half-hearted commitments to make January the time to change it all. Well, what if we could give you some tips that would help you stay on track and limit the damage that hits Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day? Here are some outside-of- the-box concepts that will help you stay on track with your healthy behaviors and thrive this holiday season.

​Dump the Halloween Candy:Take it to the office, donate it to a charity…just get it out of the house. Sure it is just a mini-Snickers but mini doesn’t matter when you have eaten eight of them! Get rid of the temptation and get it out of the house.

Make the most of your time:Most notably, the time between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Instead of slowing down, use these three weeks to ratchet your strategies up so your program is at its tip-top best. This means you are working out, meal prepping, drinking water, getting enough sleep, etc. Like achamp. Athletes train to be in peak conditioning for their respective event. Have your program peaking and firing on all cylinders by Thanksgiving.

Practice the 85% rule and get really good at it:This means you eat clean, healthy foods 85% of the time leaving 15% of the time to eat/drink whatever you want. Most of us have it backwards. We eat crappy 85% of the time and want a gold star when we eat a salad or piece of fruit. Try flipping those percentages. Pounds will fall off and when you do eat your favorite guilty pleasure foods, they will taste better than ever before because you will be eating them on your terms.

Fill up:The simplest, go-to nutrition tip is to stay hydrated. Don’t ask me why it works.It just does. Drink up. Seriously, I want you to have a water bottle with you at all times.

HIIT Your workouts:Time is limited over the holidays making trips to the gym for your regular workouts problematic. If it gets too difficult, you will most likely skip the gym and that really shouldn’t be an option. High Intensity Interval Training workouts or HIITs are 25-30 minute routines that will give you the benefits of a full workout in half the time. They are hard but the concept is simple, elegant, and it works. Plus they can be done almost anywhere with limited equipment. If you need help creating a personalized HIIT contact us at iwcfitness@yahoo.com.

Think ahead:Too often I see clients fail to think ahead and when that happens, they turn to easy things. This usually means grabbing a pizza or take out. Each week I ask them to tell me what their barriers are. What are the obstacles that are getting in their way of sticking to their program. We then brainstorm action items so we can help them work around the things that will prevent them from being successful.This strategy should be your number one priority during the holiday season because without it, none of the above will matter. Think about the upcoming week and plan ahead.

Shake it up:One should never live on a liquid diet but using a protein shake as a meal replacement to help offset calories is asolid technique and will help limit the damage, especially on Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holiday parties.

Week two you have to run the kids to the doctor and have a late meeting so….➪ Meal Prep on Sunday➪ Zumba on Tuesday➪ Strength Train Wednesday➪ Log Food in Monday-Thursday

Week three you have to travel out of town, the car needs an oil change and your week looks like…➪ Zumba on Thursday

As a result you gain three to five pounds and are disappointed, frustrated and on the verge of giving up but if you look at the scenario above, there is a logical reason for weight gain. You aren’t doing the things that are pertinent for success. Without even being aware of what it means, you have fallen victim to avoidance.

As a personal trainer and fitness coach in St. Louis, MO for twenty years, I see this all too often. In fact, I would say it is the most common problem that faces you and I when it comes to achieving weight loss and better health; sticking to your program in the face of barriers, challenges and adversity.

Here are some tips to help you avoid avoidance and meet your health and fitness goals.

Start small:​One of the biggest reasons people fall into avoidance is they bite off more than they can chew by having too many strategies. If you are just starting out and trying to balance work, kids, a social life, sporting events and health strategies (exercise, meal prep, logging food) you may be better off starting with one strategy. Once you master that and assimilate it into your busy life, add strategy number 2 and so on.

Make time:Most people who fail at exercise, meal prep or logging food intake do so because they believe time will magically be created in their already jammed schedule for these activities. It is a killer of goals and motivation and almost always leads to failure. Remember, you have to make time for these activities and even when you do, something will pop up to derail you. Make a plan, then make plan B soyou have a fall-back strategy.

Keep doing what makes you successful:Recently I had a conversation with a frustrated online personal training client who had gained three pounds. After a few minutes of conversation the answer was glaring. She had quit doing all of the things that made her successful at losing weight. One never wantsto become obsessive but if weighing in the morning keeps you aware of what is going on, weigh in the morning. Why? It is so easy to get derailed but if you find the scale going up, that should be an automatic red beeping alarm to say “hey me….what am I doing or not doing that is making this scale go up?” Be honest, be aware and follow the next tip!

Take action:If you have one strategy or ten you have to take action and be disciplined enough to repeat over and over. There is no magic or secret sauce here. So long as you are following a program that is rooted in science or has been put together by an experienced and certified personal trainer, coach or registered dietitian (all of which we have at Integrated Wellness Concepts) you simply have to perform the strategies over and over and over….

Life happens and even personal trainers and health coaches are not immune to the stresses of the daily grind. ​Use these tips to avoid avoidance and you will find you meet you goals much sooner!

​The compounding effects of all life has to throw at us can be overwhelming. Many of us have to balance home life with work and other responsibilities. Toss in a goal like weight loss and it may be enough to push you to the breaking point.

I understand how you feel. Between coaching both of my son’s Fall sports teams I run two other fitness businesses​besides Integrated Wellness Concepts. All of these responsibilities and commitments keep me spinning in circles on a daily basis.

Right now I am planning for the 2018 operating budget for one business, actively working to grow the other two and​continue to personal train and coach clients. It is a tremendous load that can take its toll both mentally and physically.

Last Tuesday I had enough, so I gave up.

I know what you're thinking; how can a coach, manager and personal trainer give up and quit?The truth is, I didn't quit anything, but I wasn't kidding when I said I was overwhelmed and at my wits end. I did give up some things to ensure I stayed healthy mentally and physically, but I didn't quit.

The strategies I'm about to share with you won't allow you to quit but they will help you give up certain things​that may help you or are the main cause of why you're not achieving your goals.

#1: Give up on work

I am not advising you to not perform your duties to the absolute best of your abilities but I am suggesting that when you get to the end of your rope consider physical activity or play of some capacity. Can you remember when, as a child, you came in from recess?

​After running around, laughing and engaging in play you were better able to focus and retain knowledge.

Somewhere along the way, someone felt taking away recess was a good idea to get more done.​They were wrong.

Physical activity and play allows you to release pent up frustrations in a healthy manner.If you are trying to solve a work problem, take a walk or going for a jog might allow your brain to hit the reset button,allowing you to be more creative (I actually dreamed up this blog while running on a day I was mentally burned out).

Unfortunately, we have been conditioned to work even harder regardless of performance.​When you get to this point, take a break, get some movement and we promise you will come back refreshed with better focus and drive.

#2: Give up on using food for comfort

I feel bad for the struggle that emotional eaters face. I truly do because we experience a wide variety of emotions, high’s and low’s on a daily basis. You never get a break and are in a constant state where food is used as a coping mechanism for stress, sadness, anxiety and boredom. We could also link poor nutritional choices to habits in your home and work life. For example, if you find yourself getting a candy bar from the vending machine every day at 3pm even though you aren’t hungry you are experiencing habit not hunger.

A few years ago I witnessed something that helped me understand how we are conditioned to flock to sugar or other unhealthy foods in times of emotional stress. I was listening to a young mother describe her trip through the grocery store with her two year old. He was unhappy sitting in the cart and was attracting a lot of attention with his screaming.

Wanting to help her son (and lower the volume) the young mother grabbed a box of candy off the shelf and popped a piece of chocolate in the youngster’s mouth. He immediately became quiet. A few minutes later, he started fussing again so​she gave him another piece of candy. This process continued until her shopping was completed and they were back in the car.

Now this young mother did not mean to do harm to her young son but inadvertently, the child was being conditioned to be an emotional eater.Would you put sugar in your gas tank and expect your car to perform well?​Of course you wouldn’t….so why do you put sugar in your body and expect it to perform well, mentally and physically?

When you cut out sugar and processed foods you will feel better physically and think more clearly.

#3: Give up control

I am not afraid to admit I am a control freak.I like things the way I like them in the time frame I wish for those things to be completed, achieved, accomplished.

In full disclosure, my next suggestion is not something I am an expert at nor do I profess to be good at it,mainly because I like to fool myself into believing I am in control when I am not, but have you considered tapping into your spiritual side?

How many books, classes, tips and articles have you read to find a way to handle stress?More importantly, how much money have you spent to find peace and contentment?

Last week a client who has struggled in the past spoke this line during her session.“God is the ultimate holistic health plan. Give up control and you will feel a lot better.”

For some, the topic of a higher power pulling the puppet strings of the universe can be controversial but I would challengeyou that ​even if you do not subscribe to an organized faith, tap into your spiritual side and learn to give up control.

Immersing yourself in nature is a great way to accomplish this.

If you do subscribe to a specific faith, I would encourage you to work on giving up control on a more regular basis.You will be happier and as a result, may find you have better perspective on just about everything in life.

Most importantly, you will be happier.

Whether you subscribe the fact there is a keeper of the stars or this planet came into existence in one big boom one thing is for certain…this rock is hurtling through space as it orbits the sun and there isn’t a single thing you or I can do about it.​The eclipse we experienced a few weeks ago is proof positive we are not in control.

Stop trying to control everything.

Never ever quit, but in the right situation at the right time, giving up on certain things may very well bethe one thing that will propel you to better health, happiness and performance.

If you have been struggling with your own health and wellness,the coaches at Integrated Wellness Concepts would love the opportunity to work with you.​Please call us at 314-807-8634 for a free consultation.

Those of you who personal train with us at Integrated Wellness Concepts or follow us on our social media feeds can get a decent idea of how many hours per week my team and I put into our clients and into providing top-flight content to help inspire people to get healthy and achieve their goals.

For myself, it is something that drives me and it is common to find me answering emails at 5:00am before I see our first wave of clients. I have learned the hard way that most people do not want their texts answered in the middle of the night. We now wait until later in the morning to reply. It also means answering texts and emails from our online clients until the time I drop off for the evening. We put in long days but we thrive on watching people like you achieve things they felt unreachable. We are sort of addicted to it.

You see, I want to be able to help you integrate concepts of health and wellness into your life for life. All of this depends on your goals, your readiness to make those changes, and your mindset at the time we start your journey. In fact, there are at least 101 different ways to make that happen.

Most people think that as a personal trainer in St. Louis, MO for the last 20 years and coaching people all over the globe, we would have developed a set formula for success. You might think that there is a blueprint that would allow everyone we touch to immediately find success…and you would be wrong.

Mainly because of the uncanny number of ways a person needs help. Physical wellness is just one piece of the puzzle. In order to find balanced wellness you need to take into consideration these eight dimensions:

Most people come to us because they want to lose weight and find that they cannot stay motivated or stay consistent with a program. What we find very quickly, in most cases, is that one or more of the eight dimensions listed above are out of whack. And when we are unbalanced, we cannot work the way we were meant to function. It is like a tire that is either under or overinflated; it simply will not roll the way it is supposed to.

The same can go for your personal trainer and wellness coach.

I never have trouble staying on top of my game for our clients and followers. My family on the other hand, has been close (at times) to punting me out of the house for everything from failing to put down my phone (I have to see what you are writing in regard to that question on Facebook asking how many pieces of fruit you eat per day and what kinds), answering emails, making social media posts and that is the easy stuff.

Like I said, I can always be on top of my game for you. I can be quite grouchy and introverted at the end of the day when I walk into my own home. It was making them miserable and I myself was not finding a lot of happiness outside of the work. I was also getting tired; Physically and mentally tired. Then the worst part happened. I dreaded going to work. I went through the motions. I was not happyat all and I could not figure out why. Who knew the answer would be found in a game of recreational softball, better sleep and Wonder Woman.

You ever have plans to do something and at the last second dread going? That was me on the night I was to take my 11 year old to watch one of our clients play a softball game. Since Jason has been personal training with Integrated Wellness Concepts he has been driving the ball out of the park consistently and playing the defense of a man five years his junior. Knowing my son plays baseball he thought it would be fun for us to come up and watch him play. Only problem is the game didn’t start until 8:30pm.

I hem-hawed around and decided to go. It was the best decision I have made in a long time and I make a lot of decisions on a daily basis so that’s saying something. My son had a blast and I truly enjoyed watching all the hard work Jason puts into his workouts translate perfectly to the softball field. He went 4 for 4 with a single, double and two home runs.

I went to work the next day feeling slightly more motivated and a tad bit happier.

Two nights later it was date night. This is a big deal because date night happens about once every six months. With two boys in sports (whom we also coach), four businesses, two dogs and very little time to ourselves, we do not get out much. Both of us wanted to see the new Wonder Woman flick and it was a really great movie and a fun night.

I went to work the next day feeling even more motivated and a whole lot happier.

Finally, Saturday morning rolled around and I slept until 7:00am and didn’t get out of bed until 7:30am. This is incredibly momentous because I get up between 4:45 and 5:00am almost every day. All the great CEO’s in the world have this trait in common and I also subscribe to the early to bed, early to rise motto. That and I come from a long line of dairy farmers that got up at 3:30am on a daily basis so early mornings and hard works are in my DNA.

And most days I wake up with an idea for a blog to write, exercise programs to design or client emails to answer but not this morning.I relaxed, drank some coffee and let the day come to me. Now eventually, I got around to some work related tasks but I didn’t get up before the sun to get them done. I felt great and the world did not end because I wasn’t working at 5:00am.

On Monday, I had tons of motivation, was darn near giddy and wanted to go to work. Let me repeat: I wanted to go to work. How many of you reading this can say that you wake up on Monday raring to get to the office?

My physical wellness is on point. So is my financial and occupational wellness. The areas that were shooting craps were my social, emotional and spiritual wellness. Just like the clients we help manage and find balanced wellness to become healthier, more productivepeople, I was missing the mark on three out of the eight dimensions of wellness and three pretty big dimensions to boot.

Once I allowed myself to relax and have fun something amazing happened. I became better at my job and a whole heck of a lot more pleasant to be around. My family no longer wanted to kick me out and I began to enjoy life again.

Sometimes the answer is as simple as getting more sleep and having fun and while I cannot promise that is the right combination for you, I can promise that the health and wellness professionals at Integrated Wellness Concepts are master’s at helping you find your balance.​If we can be of assistance to you please reach out to us at 314-807- 8634.

]]>Fri, 30 Jun 2017 20:41:58 GMThttp://integratedwellnessconcepts.weebly.com/blog/we-get-it-you-have-goals​It's stuff like this that make personal trainers cringe but we understand you have goals.

You also have to understand there are outdoor exercise enthusiasts all over this great nation who deal with a wide range of elements. Runners in Alaska deal with snow and extreme cold. Runners, cyclists and walkers in Arizona have to deal with extreme heat.

Here is St. Louis, MO, we have the glorious hot, soupy air feel that makes you think you are running inside of a steam room.

If you want to exercise or play sports in the summer, you have to follow some basic tips to ensure you don't become a victim of heat illness. Here are some of our favorites!

Acclimate to the conditions: Allow your body to adapt gradually to the heat over the course of 10-14 days. Initially, cut back the intensity and duration of your activity, and then slowly build it back up over time. Most heat illness occurs in the first 2-3 days of activity.

Drink Up: Once acclimated, increase your fluid intake because you will sweat more. Make sure you have fluids with you at all times. Thirst is not an indicator of dehydration. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

For the Long Haul: For activities lasting longer than an hour, consider consuming a sports drink that will replace the sodium and electrolytes you lose when you sweat. Water is sufficient for activities less than an hour. Avoid alcohol and caffeine. These substances increase water loss.

Exercise in the Morning or Evening: Activity performed when the weather is the coolest is the smart way to go if your schedule will accommodate, but if it is necessary to exercise during the hottest part of the day, avoid direct sun and hot surfaces like asphalt.

Break it up: Increase the frequency and duration of rest breaks.

Dress for the Weather: Loose, light colored clothing is the way to go!

First off to all of my fellow dad’s I wish you a happy Father’s Day. It is an awesome privilege and responsibility to be the patriarch of a growing family and you owe it to them to be the best you can possibly be as a dad, provider, husband and employee. The problem is, the wear and tear of the daily grind, long commutes, early mornings/late nights, coaching little league and mowing the yard can wear a man down. So much in fact, some let themselves slide a little. Okay, some slide a lot and even more rationalize that it is okay to let that growing belly fall over the belt buckle embracing a popular mindset called the Dad Bod.

The Urban Dictionary was kind enough to provide a definition for the term which is “a male body type that is best described as ‘softly round.’ It is built on the theory that once a man has found a mate and fathered a child, he doesn’t need to worry about maintaining a sculpted physique.”

That’s right ladies. Your man has met his duties to reproduce and is now comfortable residing on the couch with a Dorito stained tank top and matching protruding belly. He got the girl, he passed on his genes and now he can quit. It is a dangerous mindset; not just for the dad in question but also for the message he is sending to both the mother of his progeny and his kids.

In this day and age, strong men are few and far between so if you are a dude and you are reading this I am going to tell you why you need to reject the dad bod mindset!

Be a provider:​I was fortunate enough to grow up around strong men and when I say strong men, I mean men who were physically fit. No, they didn’t go to the gym; they were farmers who could carry a baby calf, throw a bale of hay over their head and carry buckets of water forever. As a personal trainer who has been training clients in St. Louis, MO for 20 years, I was enamored by the physicality of the men who influenced me to be strong. I wanted to be like them. Grandpa was a fisherman, hunter and physical specimen. These men worked from sun up to sun down and had both the strength and stamina to provide for the family.

Today is a different time and you may have never set foot on a farm or hunted a deer and that is totally fine but you are still a provider. You need the strength and stamina to be successful in your job. To put in the hours, make the sale or nail that presentation as you climb the corporate ladder. All things you can do if you are not in shape but a task that can be much, much easier when you are healthy and fit.

I have told my personal training clients for years that being fit will give you confidence that will be felt in the board room when you give that presentation or in the field when you make that sales pitch to a prospective client. When you are physically fit you will also project confidence and this will give you an edge over those who are not. You may not have to literally hunt or grow your own food but as the provider for your family you owe it to yourself to be fit.

Jeremy takes his sons with him on farm workdays to instill the importance of physical activity and work ethic.

Be careful little eyes:I am constantly reminded by my wife when she scolds me for colorful language that my kids are listening and learning from me. That song that goes, “be careful little eyes what you see” got me thinking a few years ago about the image I am projecting to my kids. Was I being a good role model for them?

​This would mean I not only clean up my language but also demonstrate healthy ​behaviors such as regular exercise and healthy eating habits.

Wouldn’t a personal trainer and wellness coach always exercise and eat healthy? Not as much as you might expect. Exercise wasn’t the issue. Eating my fruits, veggies and cutting back on the Bud Light were the main culprits. They fought their mother when it came to eating their veggies so how do you think that looked when I said it was important but didn’t eat them myself? Zero street cred with the kiddies. Since that realization I have cut back on the beers and made a concerted effort to model healthy eating.

Dads, what are you doing to be a role model for your kids? They are learning from you and will copy your physical activity and eating habits.

Let me be clear; you do not have to be a body builder, marathon runner or super fit. You don’t need a six-pack or chiseled chest (although the wife may think differently) nor do you need to drink green smoothies and wear a fit bit everywhere you go.

You do need to be mindful of the image you are projecting to your kids because your habits are being emulated and copied. If you want healthy kids that will turn into healthy adults, be mindful of what those little eyes are witnessing today.

What about her? Now I am not sure if there is a definition for mom bod but the ladies aren’t immune to letting things slide but tread lightly gentleman. Until you expel another human from your body let’s give the girls a little bit of a pass if they don’t possess the same flat tummy or firm backside they had back in the dating days. But let’s also not forget that the physical attraction that drew you two together in the first place needs to be addressed.

If you are a former gym rat and now find yourself a shell of your former self due to work, coaching little league, striving for yard of the month in your subdivision it’s okay. You may not have the same amount of time to commit to the gym as before but come on gentleman, don’t throw in the towel and give up!

Jam packed schedules and Father Time will make it harder and harder to have that college summer bod forever but you owe it to yourself and her to do what you can to look and feel your best.

She may not ever say it but she’s thinking it. Don’t argue…she’s thinking it. I am a personal trainer who has heard many a female client lament on the b cups and expanding waistline possessed by the husband/boyfriend and their wish that they would take better care of themselves.

This may not be the top reason to avoid the dad bod mindset but if you have been married for a while and are not…how shall we say this….not happy with the action of yesteryear, consider eating a few less doughnuts, hit the gym a little more and see if your bedroom extracurricular activities pick up. Hint: They will.

You need to be around: Now everything listed above are great reasons to reject the dad bod mindset but the most important one is that you need to be around to raise your kids (and grandkids), get to retirement and keep that twinkle in the wife’s eye; Something hard to do when you are six feet under.

That may sound a bit dramatic but I can attest that what you are doing now will impact who and what you will become 10, 20, 30 and 40+ years down the line. If you are doing it all right (working hard at the job, coaching your kid to crush a fastball and making sure you apply the right amount of weed & feed to get that emerald green yard) but fail to take care of yourself, you are failing and failing big, my friend.

This goes deeper than eating more veggies and lifting a few weights. This includes managing stress, getting your age appropriate health screenings and a yearly physical on top of exercising and eating right. It sounds exhausting but it isn’t. It requires some effort on your part, a little planning and some big picture thinking.

I bet you are a hard worker. One of the saddest things I have had the misfortune to witness more times than I care to count is to watch a dad work hard all of his life only to neglect his health and succumb to complications from diabetes, heart disease or cancer early in his retirement years.

Buddy, we need you around and to increase the odds that you are here for the long haul to provide for your family, raise your kids the right way and see your grandkids…shoot…see your great-grandkids, you need to completely reject the rationale that having a dad bod is okay. It isn’t okay but you have the power to change it. And now, you have the reasons why!

If we can help you lose the dad bod give us a call at 314-807- 8634 or email us at iwcfitness@yahoo.com